Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-11-04
DAY OF ATONEMENT.
THE MOST SOLEMN EVANT IN THE
JEWISH CALENDAR.

TY.FOUR HOURS ANCIENT SAC.
RIFICIAL OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
CLOSING SERVICE, &c.
In this time of materialistlc
thought the average American can
hardly understand, still less can he
appreciate, the awe and reverence
with which the Day of Atonement
is regarded by the Jew. 1t is the
most sacred twenty-four hours in
the calendar of the Hebrew. Into
the minutes of that day are woven
the splendOrs of his ancient tenn
pies, the pomp and ceremonial of
the Mosaic ritual, the sadness OF =
nation without a home. The jew
was not cOntemned and wanderer
when that sacred day was institut-
cd.
By orthodox and reformed Jews
alike this day is held in reverence.
Every one of the Hebrew faith will
observe it by fasting and prayer.
The time of this service is the tenth
day of the seventh month in the
Jewish calendar. The day is sig
nifcant. 1t is the tenth day to sig
Nifty the completeness of the atone
ment 1t is the seventh month be.
cause the month closed the festal
half of the Mosaic year, and thus,
in a sense. formed its Sabbath it
is the tenth day Of the month, be-
cause, say the wise men, on that
day Adam sinned and repented,
Abraham was clrcumcised, and
Moses came down from the Mount
and found his people worshipplng
the golden calf. The day thus set
apart is strictly and solemnly kept.
On it, and on it alone, Is there a
fast enjoined. The Jew is expected
to "aflllct his soul" on that day,
which means fasting in addition to
repentance and humiliation.
THE ANCIENT CEREMONIAL.
The ancient ritual including a
ceremonial ofOriental magnificence.
The priests were dressed in pure
white linen, signifying simplicity.
Two goats were furnished by the
people upon which were cast lots
one lot for Jehovah and the other
for Azezel, the name of bad spirit
living in the wilderness. One of
these goats was killed as a sin Of
fering after the priest had slain a
bullock then followed that singu'
lar ceremony of sending the living
goat into the wilderness. A man
appointed the year before led the
goat away INTO a district from
which there was no return path.
The idea of this procedure evil
IDENTIFY was that the sins which had
symbolcally been laid upon the
goat did not return. The man who
had led the goat could not re.enter
the camp until he had washed his
clothes and himself. The high
priest then took off his linen gar
ments, washed himself, put on his
usual dress and burned the fat of
the other goat upon the altar.
Since the destruction of Jerusa-
lem the Day of AtOnement has not
been observed with such imposing
ceremonial. But yet it is kept up.
In place of the sin offering there is
the expiatOry prayer, in which
there are many beautiful passages.
1he modern observance OF the day
consists of rigorous fast, beggin-
ming at sunset and continuing until
the nex' evening at 6 o'clock. Not
a drop of water nor mOrsel OF
food can be taken in that time.
This observance is binding on every
jew, except those who are too Ill to
risk the fast. The synagogue ser
vices begin about sunset and last
several hours. They are resumed
the following morning at 6 o'clock
and continue until sunset. The
services consist of set ritual OF
prayers for forgiveness, expressions
OF contrition and promises oil
amendment. Selections from the
law and prophets are read, and
addresses upon the topics of the
day are made by the rabbis. The
music for the day is pitched IN
tone of special solemnity. A strik'
ing feature of the service IS the
memorial of the dead, so called, in
which not alone the names and
virtues of departed members of the
congregation are mentioned, but
the fact of their departure is nsed
to point a lesson of morality, and
their memory employed to incite
the pious emulation of those who
mourn them. In many cOngrega
tions very large collections are
taken up for benevolent purposes.
SOLEMN CLOSING SERVICE.
The closing service, which begins
Just before sundown, is pitched In
a still higher key of solemnity
The synagogue is then crowded to
its utmost. Those who have gone
out during the day for air-it is
very wearisome sitting in a crowd.
ed room for twelve hours; besides,
the effects OF the fast are beginning
to be felt-return encouraged by
the knowledge that the close OF
the service is near. The responses
are louder. The rabbi ascends the